Anna of Ryazan

Anna Vasilievna of Ryazan (Анна Васильевна; 1451–1501) was a Russian noblewoman, Regent of the Ryazan Principality in 1483 and in 1500–1501, during the minority of her son and grandson. She was the only daughter of Grand Prince Vasily II of Moscow and the mother and grandmother of last Grand Princes of Ryazan Principality, as well as sister of Ivan III. Anna was born in Moscow to the family of Vasily II of Moscow, who was blinded five years before her birth during a time of troubles, and Maria Yaroslavna of Borovsk.



Life
Before his death in 1456 Grand Prince Ivan Fyodorovich of Ryazan entrusted his friend Vasily of Moscow with temporary governance of the principality and the care of his children, Vasily and Theodosia, until their maturity. However, soon after Ivan's death, Vasily of Moscow moved the orphaned children to Moscow and appointed a voevoda to Ryazan. This decision bargain a process of joining the Ryazan Principality to the Grand Duchy of Moscow. Vasily II's heir Ivan III of Russia continued his father's policy towards Ryazan, and Anna grew up together with Ryazan's prince Vasily.

Marriage
Some stories identify Anna's mother as the architect of the marriage between Anna and Vasily; she supposedly asked her son Ivan III to delay annexation of Ryazan because it was not suitable to a Grand Princess to marry an ordinary nobleman even of princely descent. Whatever the case - for instance, Ivan III may have wished for the marriage in order to cement his claim on Ryazan - Ivan III allowed sixteen-year Prince Vasily to return to his family seat in Summer 1464. That winter, Vasily came to Moscow to marry Anna and, after the wedding, the couple returned to Ryazan together.

In 1467 Anna bore a son Ivan and until the death of her husband in 1483 did not participate in governing the principality and did not protest when her brother two times annexed Ryazan territories.

Regency
In 1483 Anna became the regent of her sixteen-year son. In her policy Anna tried to expand her domain, she visited often Moscow and due her diplomatic efforts the Pronsk principality was added to Ryazan. A major problem in Ryazan-Moscow relations was so-called ryazan ukraina, a huge steppe region in the basin of Don River. According to treaties, Ryazan was obliged not to settle in these lands, but many years Ryazan princes secretly colonized this area and during the Anna's regency this process become much more significant. Numerous immigrants received considerable privileges, being released for 3–7 years from taxes if agreed to remain in steppe for ever.

Anna's son died in 1500 and until her death in 1501 she was the regent of her grandson Ivan V of Ryazan. After the end of Anna's reign Ryazan Principality finally lost its independence. Except of Ivan, Anna had son Fyodor and daughter Anna who was married to Lithuanian Prince Feodor Ivanovich Belski.